As part of a discussion, a friend wrote: I tend to disagree with the concept of life paths being pre-programmed (due to some evidence in hadith etc.). But at the same time cannot fully defend this position.If that is true, the even intentions are pre-programmed. What do we do about that? I understand a discussion on pre-destiny will not take us very far.
Answer: Holy Quran 2:49 And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir\'aun's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.
Notice in the above verse, Allah is stating that even the worst attrocities committed are with his knowledge and permission_ nobody can do anything without Allah allowing it to happen. Pharoah and his people perpetrated the terrible crimes, but they could only do so because Allah let them, as Allah meant it as a mighty trial of the Bani Israel. If God had not willed it, they would not have been able to do anything. Pharoah, Bani Israel and all of us, we are all responsible for our intentions and what we try to do. The outcomes are pre-destined.It is attributed to the wise Ali (the Prophet's companion, cousin and son-in-law), that someone once asked him the difference between pre-destiny(taqdeer) and (tadbeer) [the ability to plan and do]. He asked the person to stand and fold one leg up and balance himself on the other, the person did so, then he asked the person to lift both his legs up, ie stand without support, that he couldn't do. Then Ali said, the first act (standing on one leg) was tadbeer, and no being able to stand without any leg to support is taqdeer. I do not think intentions are pre-programmed, I think we are free to think and choose, and come to our own conclusions, and then try and act upon them. Its the outcomes of our actions that are already decided, and that is why we are adviced sabr [patience] when things are not going as we would like them to be. This also neccessarily requires us to also remember that Allah is Just, Merciful, Ever-Watchful, All-Knowing and Omnipotent, that He will definitely recompense those who suffer, will not try anyone beyond what they can bear, will reward beyond limits, and is capable of turning the tide anytime, thus the belief in the power of prayer and supplication. Striving to do what is right is what we will be judged on, so we must think and try to do the right things. We are not responsible beyond that, or so I think! Perhaps its the attitude that matters...
Also see: http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2010/03/memory-subconscious-and-unconscious.html
Islam - Q&A: A selection of questions posed by friends and acquaintances and my answers to them, in the attempt to bring them closer to the beautiful religion of Islam. And the random thoughts n questions that keep sprouting in my mind. May Allah guide us all.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Memory , SubConscious and Unconscious
A scholar explained the memory of God with an analogy of birth. The following is as I understand and reason it:
God has sent us here, in this life, as an examination. Part of the examination is the belief in the unseen God. He explained that it is in our unconscious, even if we our not consciously aware of it in our memory. He explained that just like we have no memory of being born, of our mother delivering us, yet its a part of our Unconscious (beyond subconscious),we accept it as a fact, and give due respect to our parents for being our parents; similarly, though we do not remember God, yet it is part of our very nature and we realize and accept the existence and presence of Him.
As and when the baby grows up, though there is no conscious memory of being born, yet he/she accepts and acknowledges this fact and respects and honours his/her parents, and is dutiful. Those who do not, the general consensus of society is that they are ungrateful people.Similarly, though we have no memory of God, as we live our lives, we feel His existence and presence, and then use all faculties to search Him and His message, and then try to live accordingly. That is the trial_ to discover the purpose of this life, to be grateful for the gift of life, and to prepare for eternity, or so I understand. And perhaps that's why, actions are judged by intentions.
If we were to see God or His angels, the trial would be over.
I think we are all focussing on different parts of the truth, each have some pieces of the puzzle, and together we can come close to an understanding of the truth. May we all find the truth we seek.
A friend asked: Regardless of the trial's objective, my question is why try the human race for anything? I mean there is absolutely no comparison between God and human. Then whats the point in trying the humans for anything? Would you try an ant for something? and then punish him as well if he fails? Doesnt it feel unwarranted (if not unjustified)?
My response: Instead of the ant, let us consider a robot or a software that we've wired / programmed to do certain things. What if it rebels and refuses to do what its created to do? Also, what if its own good / life depends on doing what it was supposed to be do, and behaving in the rebellious manner is actually a self-destructive behaviour? And what if the human inventor stays in a control room and controls the robot/software remotely, such that they never see each other, then what if the robot / software turns around and says "sorry but I honestly do not think you human could or did make me, in fact I'm here as a part of nature, an evolutionary process, and that's just about it; in fact the question is 'do you human actually exist, or are you just a figment of my imagination?' "...
The friend responded: Is the relation between God and humans similar to that between a 'programmed' robot and its owner? If thats the case then worshipping becomes a mere mechanical task. Instead of that, I would like to be informed that worship, the way humans worship God must be significantly different from a similar act by a robot to his owner.
My response: A robot/creation with a free-will, with permission to choose his/her thoughts, intentions, course of action. (think Matrix, for example)The problem is we are just focussing on how dreadful the thought of punishment is. Judgement Day is not primarily about punishing... it is about rewarding and recompensating, about establishing justice, about vindicating those who have suffered and persevered, otherwise how can we reconcile the sufferings we see in this world and the attribute of God that He is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, Most Loving? That those who deserve/have earned/justified/proven that they deserve punishment will be punished is but an inevitable consequence of it. Think of it as quality-control, that only those who meet Heaven's standards will be allowed in there. In God's complete knowledge and wisdom, He knows who will or will not qualify, and could have just sorted us without trial, yet He has given us a chance, an opportunity to prove ourselves, and the best part is, its an open-book exam (trial)! Instead of raising a hue and cry about how the Examiner can declare someone Fail, the examinees should focus on how wonderful it would be if they study, strive and pray that they pass the exam. Isn't that our attitude towards worldly exams??
The friend responded: In my opinion, a robot can never have a free will. Everything that it does has actually been imagined by his creator (yes, that includes any 'random' paths in the program execution thread)...
My response: Isn't this what we're repeatedly reminded of: that all things good or bad are from God. And no, it doesn't create a 'major issue' if we remember that its not the outcomes of our choices and actions, rather our intentions that we are being judged on. We tend to place a lot of emphasis on the outcome, as to us mortals, this life appears to be the et all... if we remember that this is but a mere passing phase, in our journey towards the final, eternal reality, then do the outcomes in this world really matter? To my mind, what matters is whether we qualify for Heaven or not, as our Eternity depends upon it!
Our life-paths are pre-programmed... ie all that happens happens according to the divine plan.But we all have been blessed with thoughts and intentions, which is basically what we call 'free-will'. It is this 'free-will', this ability to think and have intentions to do such and such actions, based on certain motives, that we will be judged on. Action alone will not be the determinant... it is what's in the heart that will matter. We can choose for ourselves, but from the given set of possible choices only... and all those choices have already been programmed by God.
A Christian friend eloquently responded to the above discussion:
I think I understand the point you are making. If God has set the absolute boundaries in which our behaviour can operate, then we are the ones responsible for our intentions and actions within those pre set boundaries.
Speaking as a person who has seen and experienced unspeakable acts of human stupidity, cruelty, and sheer bloody evil, I do find myself sometimes wondering why God has set such wide boundaries ???
But I guess that it is by learning from our combined mistakes as a species, that somehow a greater good will eventually emerge either on this planet or in our spiritual afterlife ???
Surely the ways of God defy human reasoning, but I for one am grateful to God for the Blessing of a curious brain and a robust faith, although I must admit that they do not always get on well !! :)
Life span, medical enhancements and immortality
A friend posted: ... And if past enhancements (in medical) are any indication then we will get to know exactly what cause death and how to reverse or stop this from happening. In my honest opinion, it's not question of IF but WHEN.
Just take a look at Ray Kurzweil's Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever.
... Moreover I've found following on wikipedia about Ray Kurweil's stance on religion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Kurzweil)
... According to Kurzweil “The primary role of traditional religion is deathist rationalization—that is, rationalizing the tragedy of death as a good thing. In order to benefit from what the Singularity can bring, we need to overcome our deathist rationalization. We need to sweep traditional religion out of our road.”
Answer: Raymond Kurzweil: Interesting and well accomplished... wow! As far as life span is concerned, well of course it can be possible to increase the average life span from the current less than 100 to may be 200, 500, 1000, who knows. But will it make humans immortal, or help escape reckoning?
Some relevant verses are:
The Holy Quran2:96 And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah (and do not believe in Resurrection - Majus, pagans, and idolaters). Everyone of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment. And Allah is All-Seer of what they do.
2:28 How can you disbelieve in Allah? seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return
3:185 Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.
Just take a look at Ray Kurzweil's Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever.
... Moreover I've found following on wikipedia about Ray Kurweil's stance on religion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Kurzweil)
... According to Kurzweil “The primary role of traditional religion is deathist rationalization—that is, rationalizing the tragedy of death as a good thing. In order to benefit from what the Singularity can bring, we need to overcome our deathist rationalization. We need to sweep traditional religion out of our road.”
Answer: Raymond Kurzweil: Interesting and well accomplished... wow! As far as life span is concerned, well of course it can be possible to increase the average life span from the current less than 100 to may be 200, 500, 1000, who knows. But will it make humans immortal, or help escape reckoning?
Some relevant verses are:
The Holy Quran2:96 And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah (and do not believe in Resurrection - Majus, pagans, and idolaters). Everyone of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment. And Allah is All-Seer of what they do.
2:28 How can you disbelieve in Allah? seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return
3:185 Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
IT SEEMS BIOLOGY (NOT RELIGION) EQUALS MORALITY
Comments on: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/hauser09/hauser09_index.html
Very true. Morality is built-in in our biology (or soul) so that all humans ( and for that matter, animals also) know that lying, cheating, not giving full measure, fraud, hurting somebody's feelings, etc, etc are wrong. Be athiest or theist, young or old, our conscience pricks us every time we do something wrong. The purpose of religion is not to teach morality, but to confirm it, to emphasize being true to that inner voice, and discovering the true purpose of this otherwise meaningless existence. It attempts to guide us where we may go wrong, where our emotions may lead us astray, where our judgement may flounder. For instance, if we take the example of the Holy Quran, it barely talks about Marriage, Business, Personal Property, but does give detailed advice on social issues pertaining to Divorce, Usury, Inheritance, etc.
If I were to summarize what I understand religion's aim, to me it is: To make a good and nice person better, to polish an uncut gem bringing to fore its true beauty!
Thank you for sharing the article.
Very true. Morality is built-in in our biology (or soul) so that all humans ( and for that matter, animals also) know that lying, cheating, not giving full measure, fraud, hurting somebody's feelings, etc, etc are wrong. Be athiest or theist, young or old, our conscience pricks us every time we do something wrong. The purpose of religion is not to teach morality, but to confirm it, to emphasize being true to that inner voice, and discovering the true purpose of this otherwise meaningless existence. It attempts to guide us where we may go wrong, where our emotions may lead us astray, where our judgement may flounder. For instance, if we take the example of the Holy Quran, it barely talks about Marriage, Business, Personal Property, but does give detailed advice on social issues pertaining to Divorce, Usury, Inheritance, etc.
If I were to summarize what I understand religion's aim, to me it is: To make a good and nice person better, to polish an uncut gem bringing to fore its true beauty!
Thank you for sharing the article.
------
It helps the faithful in keeping their duty:
ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
That (is) the book no doubt in it, a Guidance for the God-conscious.
[Al-Quran 2:2]
Related Post: The Covenant & Its Ratification
Last updated on: January 7, 2018
Will Christians go to heaven with Muslims?
Question: Will Christians go to heaven with Muslims?
Answer: As far as I understand the Holy Quran, all true believers will go to Heaven, inshAllah, while all who know in their hearts the truth, yet reject, will go to Hell. The rest to whom it is not clear, and they are still searching, sifting religions and seeking the truth, I don't know. But Allah knows what is in the hearts, and He is the best judge. He gives life and food and clothing and the comforts of this world in varying amounts to all, but guidance is given only to those who seek. We humans have been endowed with free-will, and Allah wants us to acknowledge and worship Him without any compulsion. That is why, guidance is for only those who seek it. Allah sent many prophets throughout the ages to inform, guide, give glad tidings and warn humanity. The source and the message was always the same. In the Quran, Allah speaks very highly of some Jews and Christians, informing us of how pious they are. Yet, the Quran is also replete with examples of how people throughout the ages have rejected the message, how the message has been changed/modified/corrupted, and what are the pitfalls that one must be careful of.
Daily, in our prayers, we recite the opening passage of the Quran (Surah Fateha) in which we pray for guidance and to be protected from following the path of those earn the wrath of God or who go astray.
http://www.searchtruth.com/chapter_display_all.php?chapter=1
Being labelled a muslim/ christian/ jew/ hindu or anything else, or being born in a certain religion doesn't really seem to make any difference. The basic test is of the individual heart and soul. Those who truly believe, actively seek guidance, and try to live their life according to the guidance, in piety, ever aware of the presence of God, and the surety of returning to Him, of the Judgement and the Hereafter, will go to Heaven as that is the promise of God.
Holy Quran 5:119 Allah saith: This is a day in which their truthfulness profiteth the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, Allah taking pleasure in them and they in Him. That is the great triumph.
http://can-you-answer.com/Truthfulness.htm
Answer: As far as I understand the Holy Quran, all true believers will go to Heaven, inshAllah, while all who know in their hearts the truth, yet reject, will go to Hell. The rest to whom it is not clear, and they are still searching, sifting religions and seeking the truth, I don't know. But Allah knows what is in the hearts, and He is the best judge. He gives life and food and clothing and the comforts of this world in varying amounts to all, but guidance is given only to those who seek. We humans have been endowed with free-will, and Allah wants us to acknowledge and worship Him without any compulsion. That is why, guidance is for only those who seek it. Allah sent many prophets throughout the ages to inform, guide, give glad tidings and warn humanity. The source and the message was always the same. In the Quran, Allah speaks very highly of some Jews and Christians, informing us of how pious they are. Yet, the Quran is also replete with examples of how people throughout the ages have rejected the message, how the message has been changed/modified/corrupted, and what are the pitfalls that one must be careful of.
Daily, in our prayers, we recite the opening passage of the Quran (Surah Fateha) in which we pray for guidance and to be protected from following the path of those earn the wrath of God or who go astray.
http://www.searchtruth.com/chapter_display_all.php?chapter=1
Being labelled a muslim/ christian/ jew/ hindu or anything else, or being born in a certain religion doesn't really seem to make any difference. The basic test is of the individual heart and soul. Those who truly believe, actively seek guidance, and try to live their life according to the guidance, in piety, ever aware of the presence of God, and the surety of returning to Him, of the Judgement and the Hereafter, will go to Heaven as that is the promise of God.
Holy Quran 5:119 Allah saith: This is a day in which their truthfulness profiteth the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, Allah taking pleasure in them and they in Him. That is the great triumph.
http://can-you-answer.com/Truthfulness.htm
Comments on Islam, Muslims, terrorism and personal beliefs
In response to a letter about Islam and terrorism
There are two things that I'd like to draw attention to:
First, this forwarded letter only sketches the picture of what some so called muslims are doing in the name of Islam. While correct, it is also true that there are many other non-muslim terrorists also who are all together trying to foment hatred, terror and destruction in the name of ideologies and religions.
Secondly, rising above and beyond the general state of this world, please remember that we are all individuals. We have all come to this world, and each one of us has an expiry date... one day we must leave this temporary abode we call home. The important question is, is there a reason why we're here, is there a life after death, if so, do we need to prepare for it, and is/are there any guidance in that matter? If the after-life is eternal/immortal, then does the quality of that life depend on this life? If our eternity depends on this temporal life, should we not try to 'rise above the noise and confusion to get a glimpse beyond this illusion'; earnestly worry and seek guidance. If we are just 'dust and to dust we shall returneth' and that is the end of us, then it doesn't really matter, but if there is a purpose to this life, if there is a life beyond, should we not focus our attention to seeking the truth, sifting it out from the myriad of falsehood, subjecting it to moral and scientific scrutiny, trying our level best to be our best possible selves?!
There are two things that I'd like to draw attention to:
First, this forwarded letter only sketches the picture of what some so called muslims are doing in the name of Islam. While correct, it is also true that there are many other non-muslim terrorists also who are all together trying to foment hatred, terror and destruction in the name of ideologies and religions.
Secondly, rising above and beyond the general state of this world, please remember that we are all individuals. We have all come to this world, and each one of us has an expiry date... one day we must leave this temporary abode we call home. The important question is, is there a reason why we're here, is there a life after death, if so, do we need to prepare for it, and is/are there any guidance in that matter? If the after-life is eternal/immortal, then does the quality of that life depend on this life? If our eternity depends on this temporal life, should we not try to 'rise above the noise and confusion to get a glimpse beyond this illusion'; earnestly worry and seek guidance. If we are just 'dust and to dust we shall returneth' and that is the end of us, then it doesn't really matter, but if there is a purpose to this life, if there is a life beyond, should we not focus our attention to seeking the truth, sifting it out from the myriad of falsehood, subjecting it to moral and scientific scrutiny, trying our level best to be our best possible selves?!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Apostacy
Statement of an atheist: Islam is extremely possessive of its subjects. It is a religion that admits anyone into itsfold by the person simply uttering a one-sentence statement of faith, shahada: "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's messenger." By so saying, one becomes Muslim for life and surrenders theright to ever leave it. Anyone who leaves the Islamic fold is murtad(revert), or an apostate.
Answer: This is an incorrect belief, though certain sects strongly do believe in it. As I understand it from the Quran, there is no compulsion in religion, and those who enter the fold of Islam and then leave it, can enter again. This is only possible if they're alive, not if they are killed for apostasy.
Related verses from the Holy Quran:
2:256 There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
4:137 Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again) reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief,- Allah will not forgive them nor guide them on the way.
10:99 If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!
www.searchtruth.com
Answer: This is an incorrect belief, though certain sects strongly do believe in it. As I understand it from the Quran, there is no compulsion in religion, and those who enter the fold of Islam and then leave it, can enter again. This is only possible if they're alive, not if they are killed for apostasy.
Related verses from the Holy Quran:
2:256 There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
4:137 Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again) reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief,- Allah will not forgive them nor guide them on the way.
10:99 If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!
www.searchtruth.com
The Holy Quran
On a question about what is the Quran:
We believe that The Holy Quran is the final revelation of God for the guidance of mankind. We also believe that its been protected across the ages so that nothing has been added to or subtracted from the Arabic original, thus it retains its pristine beauty and is free from human interpolation. It has been translated into many languages, but as these are done by humans, in spite of utmost care and research, there are some differences to be found among the translations. Two recommended translations are by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and M Pickthal.
More than 1400 years ago, God chose Muhammad as His prophet, and The Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. Different verses were revealed at different instances. These were later ordered and compiled together (orally, that is commited to memory) during the final years of the Prophet's life, in the form we see it today. The compiled written text is, we believe, a true replication of that oral tradition, as it was achieved during the lifetime of the Prophet's companions. The direct addressee of the Quran is thus Prophet Muhammad and the people of Arabia, especially Mecca and Medina to whom the Prophet was directly preaching. The beauty of the Quran is that when you read it, you feel its directly addressing you, your thoughts and concerns, and answering your questions. It also challenges the reader to think, explore, evaluate, understand and then believe. Do read it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
A good resource online is www.searchtruth.com In the tab Quran, you can click on List of All Suras, ie Chapters. Another good site is http://quranexplorer.com/
For more information, visit Dr Khalid Zaheer's website http://www.khalidzaheer.com/
We believe that The Holy Quran is the final revelation of God for the guidance of mankind. We also believe that its been protected across the ages so that nothing has been added to or subtracted from the Arabic original, thus it retains its pristine beauty and is free from human interpolation. It has been translated into many languages, but as these are done by humans, in spite of utmost care and research, there are some differences to be found among the translations. Two recommended translations are by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and M Pickthal.
More than 1400 years ago, God chose Muhammad as His prophet, and The Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. Different verses were revealed at different instances. These were later ordered and compiled together (orally, that is commited to memory) during the final years of the Prophet's life, in the form we see it today. The compiled written text is, we believe, a true replication of that oral tradition, as it was achieved during the lifetime of the Prophet's companions. The direct addressee of the Quran is thus Prophet Muhammad and the people of Arabia, especially Mecca and Medina to whom the Prophet was directly preaching. The beauty of the Quran is that when you read it, you feel its directly addressing you, your thoughts and concerns, and answering your questions. It also challenges the reader to think, explore, evaluate, understand and then believe. Do read it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
A good resource online is www.searchtruth.com In the tab Quran, you can click on List of All Suras, ie Chapters. Another good site is http://quranexplorer.com/
For more information, visit Dr Khalid Zaheer's website http://www.khalidzaheer.com/